Bread-slicer.



No. 7|5,:aa. PatentedDcfZ, I902.

' 0. D. SPATES. v

' BREAD SLIGER.

(Application filed Apr. as, 1902; m mam. 2 Shear-Sheet L Inventor,

' QM. EWM Q 111 Q, g f

' I Attorneys 7 I Witnesses THE animus mans om Moro-Lama. wmnma'ron. n.c.

Nrrnn Srnrnsi ATENT FFICE.

CHARLES D. SPATES, OF ROSSVVAY, CANADA, AbSlGNOR TO BARTLETT C.

GOODWIN, OF GRANVILLE, CANADA.

BREAD-SLICER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,168, dated December2, 1902.

Application filed April 28, 190 2.

To all whom it ntcty concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. SPATES, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Rossway, county of Digioy, Province of Nova Scotia,Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bread-Slicers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description. of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the rapid and regular slicingof bread and cake.

The object of my invention is to produce a slicer which can be rapidlyoperated to cut off successive slices from a loaf by the simple turningof a crank, and, further, to improve the construction of the apparatus,so that the slices shall be smoothly and accurately cut to apredetermined thickness and delivered as fast as out upon one side ofthe machine.

To these ends my invention consists, substantially, in a box or casinghaving a quadrangular loaf-chamber which is adapted to receive a loaftherein and permit itto be pushed downwardly as fast as the slices arecut, and a rotary knife having a spiral cutting edge is arrangedimmediately beneath this chamber to rotate continuously, cutting off aslice at each revolution, and immediately after the slice is cut it ispushed out by a radial pusher on the rear of the knife, so as to permitthe loaf to drop down ready for the action of the knife in cutting offthe next slice on its next revolution, and l preferably provide asloping delivery-board at one side ofthe casing, onto which thesuccessive slices are arranged to be delivered.

My invention further consists in a sliding gage on which the lower endof the loaf is adapted to rest and above which the knife is adapted topass in its rotation, and this gage is so made as to be adjustable toany desired thickness of slice, being arranged with a set-screw or anysimilar suitable mechanism for raising it and lowering it by smallamounts.

My invention further consists in a weighted cover or lid adapted to restupon the upper end of the loaf and weight it, so as to Serial No.104,923. (No model.)

press it downwardly after each action of the knife, and which lid isarranged on sliding pin'tles, so as to permit it when raised out of thebox to be turned backwardly,as on hinges, in order to permit the loaf tobe removed or inserted without taking the lid entirely oif from the box.

My invention further consists in the arrangement which I provide forrotating the knife, as well as in the special form of the knife, whichlatter is mounted upon a verti;

cal rotating sleeve carrying a bevel gear which meshes with anotherbevel-gear on a horizontal shaft and having a crank-handle at its outerend, all the rotating parts being arranged on ball-bearings, whereby tocause the apparatus to be worked with greater ease.

My invention further consists in the peculiar construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described, and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

I have shown the preferred form of my improved breadslicer in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the completeapparatus. Fig. '2 is a side elevation thereof from the front ordelivery side. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical central section of theapparatus on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. dis a transverse verticalsection of the apparatus, taken on the line 4 4. ofFig. 3. Fig. 5is aplan view of the knife. Fig. 6 isa perspective view of the pusher. Fig.7 is a similar view of the gage.

The same numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures ofthe drawings.

The apparatus consists, substantially, of a boxing or casing 8, whichhas a pair of end boards 9, closing the ends thereof and joined at theirsides by strips l0 and 11 at the front and 12 and 13 at the back,respectively,-and longitudinally through the center the boards 9 areconnected at their lower sides by a tiepiece 14., and the corners of theapparatus may be provided with screw lugs or ears 15,adapted forsecuringthe apparatus to a stationary 0bject,as to a table 16. The upperside ofthe boxing 8 is closed by a suitable lid 17, which is of complex form,as shown in the drawings, and may preferably be hinged at one side, asat l8, and secured to the opposite end board 9 by means of hooks orother fastenings 19, so as to enable the lid to be readily opened forinspection of the knife and other parts which are mounted in the body ofthe casing 8.

The lid 17 is provided with a pair of longi- Iudinal upstanding pieces20 at a distance apart equal to the ordinary width of a loaf or thedesired width of the chamber into which the loaf is to be inserted,which chamber is formed, as shown at the right side of the apparatus, bya pair of,transverse boards 21 and 22, the former of which'is'stationary and firmly secured to the lid and to the upstanding pieces 20as, for instance, in a suitable mortised groove 23 in the latter-but theboard 22 is arranged to slide in a groove 23, formed in the right-handend of each of the boards 20, and this board 22, as shown in Fig. 7, hasa curved or dished form suitable to fit it to the shape of the top sideof a loaf, as shown at 24. The board 22 forms a part of my adjustableslice-gage and has secured to its lower edge,by means ofscrews 25,ahorizontal gage-plate 26, which is adapted to support the loaf duringthe slicing operation and is slightly recessed at its inner side, asshown at 27, to permit free rotation of the rotating parts, to bepresently described. The upper edge of the board 22 is mortised toreceive a metallic screw-plate 28, secured thereto by screws 29 andhaving through the center a vertical screw-threaded socket 30, whichreceives the threaded end of the gage-screw 31, which is rotatablymounted on a cross-piece 32 and has a thrust-collar 33, as shown, whichis retained in its position by a cleat 34, so as to hold the screw 31againstlongitudinal movement, and the set-screw 31 may be likewiseprovided with a milled head 35 for turning the same to raise and lowerthe gage-plate 26, according to the thickness of the slice desired.

The chamber formed between the boards 20, 21, and 22 is of the propershape and size to receive a loaf,as stated,aud in order to hold the loafdown against the plate 26 and to cause it to move downwardly positivelyafter a slice is cut, so as to be ready for the next slice, I mayprovide a suitable weighted lid 36, which may be corrugated or pyramidedon its lower side, as shown at 37, and is provided with a handle-knob 38for removing the same. The lid 36 has at its sides projectingpintle-lugs 39, which operate in a groove 40, forming a continuation ofthe groove 23, whereby to enable the lid 36 to slide freely up and downin the loaf-chamber, and the groove 40 extends around the top of theboard 21, as shown at 41, so that the lid 36 when raised will be turnedabout the pintle-lugs 39 as hinges and may be allowed to fall back intothe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Thus in the ordinaryoperation of the device in putting in or taking out the loaf the lid 36is held in its position and kept from being removed; but if it isdesired to remove the same this may be readily done by tipping the lidsidewise, while it is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3,until one of the lugs 39 is turned out of the groove 40, when the lidmay be removed altogether from the apparatus.

I have herein shown the lid or cover of the boxing 8 as preferablyprovided with a secondary sliding piece 42, which has lateral tongues 43sliding in corresponding grooves in the upstanding boards 20, and at itsouter side is provided with a finger-nick 44 to enable the same to bedrawn out for the inspection of the upperend of the rotating parts, tobe presently described.

Mounted invertical position in the center of the casing 8 and in ascrew-threaded socket 45, formedin the center of the tie-piece 14,is avertical post 46, which has a projecting screwthreaded stud 47 at itslower end which coaots with and is secured in the socket 45, and thepost 46 is reduced at its upper end to form a spindle 48, on which turnsa sleeve 49, which is secured to its upper end by means of screws 50.The radial spiral-bladed knife 51 and the rotating parts are retainedagainst vertical movement by a nut 52, screwed over a threaded stud 53on the end of the spindle. The lower end of the post 46 has a radialshoulder 54 and is, provided with ball-bearings 55, which run in asuitable raceway and support the sleeve 49 and the parts carried therebyantifrictionally.

Around the sleeve 49 and at the base thereof is secured a bevel-gear56,Which is clamped to the sleeve by a set-screw or other clamping means57, and this bevel-gear 56 meshes with a bevel-pinion 58, mounted uponthe inner end of the horizontal shaft 59 and is secured by a set-screw58. The shaft 59 turns on ball-bearings 60 and in a longitudinal bearingaperture formed in a bearing-block 61, which is fixed to the right-handboard 9 and rests at its lower end upon the tie-piece 14. The outer endof the shaft 59 is squared, as shown at 62, for the reception of a crank63, having a handle 64, by means of which the knife 51, through themedium of the gearing, is rotated to cut the bread.

The knife 51 is shown in detail in Fig. 5 and, as shown, has a spiralcutting edge 65, which is preferably of the form of the geometricalcurve known as the logarithmic spirala curve which, as is understood,has the peculiar property of making a constant angle with the directionof cutting, whereby a slice may be cut with uniform ease and smoothnesson the rotation of the knife. The knife is of sufficient angular openingto permit of the slice being entirely out before the rear edge arrivesat the rear portion of the slice, and immediately beneath this rear edgeis mounted a radial pusher 66, which is firmly secured to rotate withthe knife and the sleeve 49 and the action of which is to' push away theslice after it is cut on the continued rotation of the knife, whereuponthe slice will be pushed off the gage-plate 26 and fall upon theweighted cover 36.

the delivery-board 67, which is arranged, as shown, in sloping position,extending from beneath the gage-plate 26 to the front of the casing'S,and the slice of bread (denoted'by 68) will thus be delivered in theposition shown in Fig. 2. r

It is believed that the mode of operation of the device will now beclear, especially-upon consideration of Figs. 2 and 3, which show thebread in the operation of being out, and it will be seen that at eachrevolution of the knife a slice is cut from the loaf 69 in theloafchamber, and thereafter, by the continued rotation of the knife, thepusher 66 strikes against the lower side of the cut slice and pushes itonto the delivery-board, whereupon the loaf will be free to dropdownwardly the distance of the thickness of another slice until itstrikes the gage-plate 26 again, and this will continue until the loafis all used up or until the operation of rotating the knife ceases, theloaf being pushed downwardly positively by The gage-plate 26, as shown,is arranged to cut a slice of any desired thickness, from one-quarter tothreequarters of an inch, as may be desired.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of myinvention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise form shown, for many of the details may be changed in form orposition without affecting the operativeness or utility of my invention,and I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications as areincluded in the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A bread slicer comprising a vertical chamber adapted to slidablyreceive a loaf, means for removing a slice from the lower end of theloaf, a weighted lid slid ably movable in said chamber and adapted topress upon the upper end of the leaf, said lid having pintlelugs at oneside thereof moving in vertical grooves in the sides of the loaf-chamberand terminating near the top, whereby said lid is adapted to be raisedand turned about the piutle-lugs as a hinge, an adjustable gagecomprising a vertical board closing one side of the loaf-chamber andvertically slidable in grooves and a gage-plate secured to its lowerside and projecting beneath the loaf, and a set-screw pivotally mountedin a cross-piece above the gageand turning in a threaded socket .in theupper end thereof, whereby to adjustably regulate the thickness of theslice.

2. In a breadslicer, an adjustable gage comprising a vertical boardclosing one end of the loaf-chamber and vertically slidable in grooves,a horizontal gage-plate projecting laterally therefrom, and a set-screwpivoted in a stationary part of the apparatus and engaging a socket insaid gage to adjust the latter up and down.

3. A bread-slicer comprising a casing, a lid closing the top thereof andhaving a pair of upstanding boards, a second board joining saidupstanding boards and forming one side of a loaf-chamber, avertically-slidable board forming the opposite side and moving ingrooves in said upstanding boards, a gageplate fixed to-and projectinghorizontally from the lower end of said slidable board, a setplate fixedto and projecting horizontally from the lower end of said slidableboard, a setscrew adapted to adjust said slidable board longitudinallyup and down, a weighted lid slidably mounted in said loaf-chamber andhaving a pair of lateral pintles engaging in grooves in said upstandingboards, aknife adapted to be advanced the thickness of a slice abovesaid gage-board, and a pusher arranged to be advanced behind said knifeand fixed to the lower side thereof.

5. A bread-slicer comprising a casing, a lid closing the top thereof andhaving a pair of upstanding boards, a second board joining saidupstanding boards and forming one side of a loaf-chamber, avertically-slidable board forming the opposite side and moving ingrooves in said upstanding boards, a gageplate fixed to and projectinghorizontally from the lower end of said slidable board, a setscrewadapted to adjust said slidable board longitudinally up and down, aweighted lid slidably mounted in said loaf-chamber and having a pair oflateral pintles engaging in grooves in said upstanding boards, arotatable knife mounted in a horizontal plane above said gage-plate, apusher carried by the lower rear edge of said knife, and a slopingdelivery-board on which the slices are adapted to fall when pushed outby said pusher.

6. A bread-slicer comprising a casing, a lid closing the top thereof andhaving a pair of upstanding boards, a second board'joining saidupstanding boards and forming one side of a loaf-chamber, avertically-slidable board forming the opposite side and moving ingrooves in said upstanding boards, a'gageplate fixed to and projectinghorizontally from the lower end of said slidable board, a setscrewadapted to adjust said slidable board longitudinally up and down, aweighted lid slidably mounted in said loaf-chamber and having a pair oflateral pintles engaging in grooves in said upstanding boards, avertical post having its upper end reduced to form a 10 bearings, abevel-gear pinion meshing with said bevel-gear and carried on the end ofsaid horizontal shaft, and means for manually turning said horizontalshaft, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my :5

hand in the presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES D. SPATES. Witnesses:

JOHN A. CLINTON, FENWICK YOUNG.

